• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Basics
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Sides
  • Breads

Eats Delightful

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Portfolio

Check out more!

iced blueberry breakfast pastries on baking sheet (4)
assembled chocolate chip ice cream sandwich cookies on parchment paper (11)
filled matcha sandwich cookies stacked on serving platter
raspberry chocolate cake slice (2)
blueberry crisp in serving dish with scoop of ice cream on the side
chocolate glazed donuts in plate (1)
red velvet brownies lined up in a row (4)
sliced frosted and decorated pistachio cake on serving platter (2)
funfetti birthday cookies arranged on serving platter (1)
oatmeal muffins on tea towel (5)
frosted blackberry cupcakes on serving platter (5)
chocolate pound cake close up of slice on serving platter (2)
chocolate chip cookie bars on parchment paper sliced
sliced American Irish Soda Bread on serving platter (4)
spring lemon Bundt cake topped with icing and berries on parchment paper (5)

November 26, 2021

Cranberry White Christmas Cake

This post may contain affiliate sales links. As an Amazon associate, we earn commission on qualifying purchases you make. Please see our privacy policy for full details.
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This stunning Christmas dessert features a soft and tender white cake, sandwiching layers upon layers of cranberry filling and ermine frosting. It makes a beautiful and delicious way to finish off a holiday meal!

I’m dreaming of a white …. Christmas cake!

Subscribe to Eats Delightful!

Sign up to receive recipes and updates sent straight to your inbox!

    We respect your privacy. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    I’ve been patting myself on the back for the past hour for coming up with that.

    white christmas cake on cake stand (6)

    Okay, but in all seriousness. Guys. This cake is SO GOOD. It’s basically holiday season and pure joy in cake form.

    I’m only semi-kidding.

    It tastes as good as it looks, and looks as good as it tastes. It tends to get a lot of oohhs and aahhs. Plus, you can spread the prep out across several days to make it ahead for the holidays!

    AND don’t skip the sugared cranberries & rosemary décor (for added flair… and flex)

    • sliced white christmas cake on cake stand inside view (1)
    • sliced white christmas cake on cake stand inside view (2)

    White Christmas cake ingredients:

    This cake has three separate components to it: cranberry sauce, white cake, and frosting. This cake is a labor of love!

    I sometimes break the prep down across 2 days to make it more manageable, but it is definitely doable in one day. There’s a lot of inactive time involved.

    cranberry sauce in bowl close up

    So first, let’s look at the ingredients to make the cranberry sauce:

    • water
    • sugar
    • cranberries

    And boom! That’s it for the cranberry sauce.

    You can use store bought sauce if you want to, but I seriously think homemade is the way to go for this cake. Plus, it’s crazy easy to make. So why not go all out for the holiday season?

    Next, onto the white cake:

    white Christmas cake ingredients

    • cake & pastry flour: for an ultra light and tender cake!
    • baking powder + baking soda: use both for added lift and airiness!
    • salt: to balance the sweetness
    • butter + oil: butter for flavor and richness, and oil for moisture and softness
    • sugar
    • egg whites: for a whiter cake
    • vanilla: I say “clear” vanilla extract in the recipe below, and really the only reason is to keep the cake as white as possible. Pure vanilla extract will slightly tint the cake brown, but it’s completely fine to use in this recipe if you don’t mind
    • sour cream: for richness, flavor, and texture
    • buttermilk: also for richness, flavor, and texture!

    Finally, onto the ingredients for the ermine frosting:

    ermine frosting ingredients

    • sugar
    • flour: yes, flour! Don’t worry, it’s going to be cooked! Ermine frosting is less sweet that your classic ole’ buttercream frosting, and I think it seriously takes this cake over the top in terms of flavor. It pairs so, so well – so I really prefer it over buttercream here!
    • salt
    • milk
    • butter

    white christmas cake slice in plate with fork going through cake (1)

    How to make white Christmas cake:

    Make the cranberry sauce:

    1. Combine water and sugar in a pot.
    2. Dissolve. Heat on your stove top until the sugar is fully dissolved.
    3. Add cranberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture boils, thickens, and almost all of the cranberries have burst.
    4. Cool completely before using. I also recommend chilling the sauce for at least 1 hour to make assembly even easier.

    white christmas cake cranberry sauce in bowl (1)

    Make the white cake layers:

    1. Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
    2. Cream together butter, oil, and sugar. Beat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture starts to fluff up (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed).

    • white christmas cake dry ingredients in bowl
    • white christmas cake butter and sugar creamed together in bowl

    3. Add egg whites. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
    4. Add sour cream and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

    • white christmas cake egg whites whisked into butter mixture
    • white christmas cake sour cream whisked into butter mixture

    5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk. Whisk in about half of the dry ingredients, followed by all of the buttermilk. Finish off by whisking in the final round of dry ingredients.

    • white christmas cake first addition of dry ingredients whisked into wet ingredients
    • white christmas cake milk whisked into batter
    • white christmas cake remaining dry ingredients whisked into batter

    6. Portion, bake, cool. Pour into your cake pans, and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    TIP: freeze your cake layers for 1 hour beforehand to make assembly easier!

    • white christmas cake batter in cake pans
    • white christmas cake baked cakes in pans

    Make the ermine frosting:

    1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a pot. Whisk to combine.
    2. Gradually add milk. Drizzle the milk into the flour/sugar mix, whisking while you do to prevent clumps, until fully combined.

    • ermine frosting flour and sugar whisked together in pot
    • ermine frosting flour base in pot ready to cook

    3. Cook milk base. Heat on medium-low until the sugar and flour have dissolved, the mixture boils and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

    • cooked ermine frosting flour base in pot
    • ermine frosting flour base on back of spoon

    4. Cool completely. Cover the milk base with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely to room temperature before using.

    ermine frosting flour base in bowl

    5. Cream butter until fluffy.
    6. Gradually add cooled milk base to butter. Add the milk base in batches (about 2 tablespoons at a time), beating well after each addition. Make sure the milk base is fully combined with the butter before adding in the next batch.

    • ermine frosting butter whipped in bowl
    • ermine frosting in bowl (2)

    Assemble:

    1. Slice cakes horizontally. This is easiest to do with a serrated knife!

    white christmas cake cake layer split in half horizontally (2)

    2. Layer. Place a cake layer on your serving platter. Spread on a layer of ermine frosting, followed by a layer of cranberry sauce. Repeat the layering process with a cake layer, followed by frosting, then cranberry sauce, until you have 4 layers of cake, and 3 layers each of frosting and cranberry sauce.

    • white christmas cake spreading layer of frosting on cake
    • white christmas cake layer of frosting topped with cranberry sauce (1)

    3. Frost & decorate! Use the remaining ermine frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Serve as is or decorate with some sugared cranberries & sugared rosemary!

    • white christmas cake on cake stand (2)
    • white christmas cake on cake stand (3)

    Storage and make ahead tips:

    The holidays can be a bit cray cray, so make ahead recipes are always welcome! You can walk through a lot of the steps for this recipe to make it up to 3 months in advance.

    For the cranberry sauce, you can make it and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 3 to 6 months! Defrost the cranberry sauce in the fridge overnight or on your countertop for a few hours before using.

    • white christmas cake on cake stand (4)
    • white christmas cake slices in plates (1)

    For the white cake layers, if you don’t plan on assembling it within 2 days, I recommend freezing the layers. Wrap each layer separately in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for a MAXIMUM of 3 months – any longer and they can lose their moisture and flavor.

    I actually love assembling this cake frozen, because cake layers are just a million times easier to work with when they’re firm! So I usually don’t bother defrosting them – I assemble the layers as normal and let the stacked cake defrost on its own at room temperature (for about 1 hour) or in the fridge (for about 3 hours).

    The ermine frosting is the only step that I prefer to make the same week I want to assemble the cake, just because I’m not super fond of freezing this frosting. You can make the flour/sugar base up to 1 week in advance and keep it stored in the fridge. Once you’re ready, let the base warm to room temperature before beating your butter and making the frosting.

    Check out these other recipes!

    • Homemade Cranberry Sauce
    • Chocolate Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
    • Classic Gingerbread Cookies
    • Candy Cane Cookies
    • Meringue Cookies (with & without cream of tartar)


    white christmas cake slice in plate with fork going through cake (2)

    Cranberry White Christmas Cake Recipe

    This stunning Christmas dessert features a soft and tender white cake, sandwiching layers upon layers of cranberry filling and ermine frosting. It makes a beautiful and delicious way to finish off a holiday meal!
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Bake Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 12 people (approx.)

    Ingredients

    For the cranberry sauce:

    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries * see notes

    For the white cake:

    • 2 & 3/4 cups cake & pastry flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 & 3/4 cups granulated sugar
    • 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract ** see notes
    • 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
    • 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

    For the ermine frosting:

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups milk
    • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

    Instructions

    • Make the cranberry sauce: In a large pot, combine water and sugar. Place over medium-high heat, and warm, while stirring, until the sugar has fully dissolved.
    • Add your cranberries to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture boils and most of the cranberries have burst (this should take about 8 to 10 minutes). If the mixture starts splattering, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a gentle boil.
    • Pour your cranberry sauce into a heat safe bowl, and set aside to cool completely to room temperature. Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firmed up, before using on the cake to make assembly easier.
    • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9 inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
    • Make the white cake: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, combine butter, oil, and sugar. Using an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has lightened in color and fluffed up (about 2 minutes on medium speed). The mixture will be slightly grainy.
    • Add the egg whites to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Add in your sour cream and vanilla, and whisk to combine.
    • Add about half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and stir to combine. Whisk in your buttermilk, followed by the remaining half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
    • Divide the cake batter evenly between your 2 prepared cake pans, and smoothen the batter into an even layer. Bake in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • Cool the cakes for about 10 minutes in the pans, and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. I like to wrap my cakes and pop them in the freezer for about 1 hour before frosting to make assembly easier!
    • Make the ermine frosting: In a medium saucepot, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
    • Gradually pour the milk into your sugar/flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid clumps, until fully incorporated. You shouldn't have any major clumps, but if you do, just run your mixture through a fine mesh strainer to avoid consistency issues with the frosting later on.
    • Place your pot over medium-low heat. Cook the milk mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar is fully dissolved, and the mixture boils and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don't try to rush this! It can lead to undissolved sugar and flour which = clumpy frosting! This will take about 10 minutes.
    • Pour your milk base into a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the mixture to prevent skin from forming. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature before using.
    • In a large bowl, add in your butter. Using an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes).
    • Add the cooled milk base to your butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition, until fully incorporated. Make sure each addition of the milk base is fully incorporated before moving onto the next one.
    • Add your vanilla in with the final addition of the milk base, and beat until fully incorporated. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
    • Assembly: Slice your cakes in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Place 1 layer on your serving platter. Spread about a 1/3 of a cup of frosting over the surface of the cake. Top with about 1/3 of the cranberry sauce, and spread evenly over the frosting. Top with another cake layer.
    • Repeat the layering process of cake, frosting, then cranberry sauce, until all cake layers are stacked. Don't top the final layer with cranberry sauce. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
    • Chill the cake for 1 hour to make slicing easier, or serve immediately. (Optional) Decorate the cake with sugared cranberries & rosemary before enjoying!

    Video

    Notes

    * If using fresh cranberries, wash and drain well before cooking. If using frozen cranberries, add straight to the pot without defrosting. Frozen strawberries may take slightly longer to cook due to the added moisture they have.
    ** Clear vanilla extract is always artificial. The reason I use clear is solely for aesthetic purposes (clear vanilla will not add any brown tint to the cake, which helps it keep as “white” as possible). If you don’t mind the slight coloring, pure vanilla extract is perfectly fine to use instead.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @eatsdelightfulblog or use #eatsdelightful!

    Enjoy!


    Share this:

    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Print
    • WhatsApp

    Filed Under: Cakes, Christmas Recipes, Desserts, Frostings, Icings, & Glazes Tagged With: cake recipes, Christmas, Christmas cake, Christmas cake recipe, Christmas cranberry cake, Christmas cranberry cake recipe, Christmas dessert, Christmas recipes, cranberry cake, dessert, frosting recipe, holiday cake, holiday recipes, recipes for Christmas, recipes for the holidays, vanilla cake recipe, vanilla cake recipes, white cake, white cake recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Us

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    Trending

    • Simple Powdered Sugar Glaze / Icing
    • How to make buttermilk
    • Italian Meatballs Recipe
    • Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Homemade Tortillas (Soft Flour Tortilla Recipe)
    • Quick and Easy Carrot Muffins
    • Rice Pudding Recipe (No Eggs)
    • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
    • Crispy Breakfast Potatoes
    • Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Eggs

    Footer

    Pages

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Portfolio

    Categories

    • Basics
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Sides
    • Breads

    Recent Posts

    • Blueberry Breakfast Pastries (No Knead)
    • Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
    • Matcha Sandwich Cookies
    • Raspberry Chocolate Cake
    • Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

    Copyright © 2022 Eats Delightful on the Brunch Pro Theme

    This site uses cookies
    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT